MP schools receive gas stoves in G20 Clean Cooking Legacy Program

Minister of Electricity and Energy, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa handed over gas stoves to 5 schools, in Mpumalanga

The Minister of Electricity and Energy, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, has encouraged households to consider using gas stoves and heaters.

Minister Kgosientsho officially handed over gas stoves to five schools and a gas refilling kiosk in KwaZamokuhle Township in Hendrina, Mpumalanga. This initiative is part of the G20 Clean Cooking Legacy Program.

According to the International Energy Agency, many families on the continent still use polluting fuels, with household air pollution leading to a significant number of premature deaths each year.

📸| Minister of Electricity and Energy, Dr. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, launched the G20 Clean Cooking Legacy Programme in Zamokuhle, Mpumalanga. The event started with the opening of an LPG container to help the community buy, refill, and store gas for cooking. Gas stoves and… pic.twitter.com/WzU2PIfQGV

— South African Government (@GovernmentZA) October 4, 2025

The national government took the Clean Cooking Legacy Project to KwaZamokuhle Township in Hendrina. KwaZamokuhle is among many Mpumalanga’s communities that rely more on coal for cooking. This because many of them are surrounded by coal mines.

Five schools were provided with gas stoves.

“Even though you have donated this gas stove, but the number of learners, it means we are still going to use part coal, part gas until we get the donation so that we can remove all these stoves. So, I think until it is completely removed, those stoves, health-wise, maybe the kids and us and the community it will be better,” says the Principal of Hendrina Primary School, Lorraine Bopape.

Liquefied Petroleum Gas Association of South Africa has called on the private sector to lend a helping hand to provide schools and needy families with gas stoves.

“We were only – through the donations that we have received – able to put for them one three-burner stove of LPG. And for us to completely remove them from cooking with coal stove, we need at least two more of those three-burner stoves for gas. And we will then also have to expand the gas installations that we have provided for them. So, we plead with organisations out there that can assist schools like Hendrina Primary School to contact us. But even the whole area of KwaZamokuhle, there’s still so much that needs to be done,” says the Managing Director of the LPG Association of South Africa (LPGSA), Gadibolae Dihlabi.

Some of the residents, who are no longer using coal, say there’s a significant improvement in pollution levels in the area.

“The advantage that we have for the gas stove is because now the children, even the grandmothers, is not getting sick like that. But before, when we used a coal stove, there were many of the people who were going to the clinic,” says a resident.

Another resident says, “It’s easier for me now. I’m using the gas heater. The gas heater is very much cheaper. I’m no longer using the electricity heater anymore.”

Ramokgopa says they will prioritise educating citizens about the importance of clean cooking.

Watch| Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa address the #G20 Energy Transition Working Group 🔗 #GovZAUpdates #ReKaofela 🇿🇦

— South African Government (@GovernmentZA) October 4, 2025

“You can’t come into your community and not explain to the elders what it means from switching from coal to gas because they’ve got a relationship with coal. I can imagine even my late mother would be very upset with that change because they have a special relationship. So, it’s the things that we took for granted. One of the things on how we’re looking at free basic electricity is to rethink how we can subsidise the purchasing of the gas cylinders and their refilling,” he adds.

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